Wanna see the project?

Here's a link to the Christmas present project I finished last night.
I got the inspiration from pics that a PYP pal (Thanks Tressa!) shared of a similar quilt that she made.
I'll insert the actual picture after Christmas unless Amber sees it before then. :)
So don't click HERE if you want to wait till Christmas to see Lily's present!
Don't click HERE either! ;)
Now I'm off to start on the next big project. :)
After I take more cold medicine. LOL

Ha! She looked! ;)


Showing off at Blue Cricket Design

Fading fast.

::yawn::
The project is done. It's in the washer getting all fluffy and fabulous. I'll take pics tomorrow and at least post a link to the pic in case Amber wants to be surprised on Christmas.
Kids in bed. Check.
Doors locked. Check.
Lights out. Check.
Cold medicine. Check.
Goodnight!

Funny!

From a PYP pal.
I'm not all fancy (read: smart) like Christy with her videos right on the blog. :P
Click here:
The Doghouse

Oooh! Try this!

I peeled and sliced some oranges to go with the kids' breakfast this morning.
Thinking frugally, as I am these days, I didn't want to just throw the peels away. So I tossed them in a small saucepan with a cinnamon stick, a few whole cloves and just enough water to cover it all. After simmering for only 5 minutes the turkey burger smell is gone. LOL And the yummy aroma almost feels like therapy for this yucky cold.

Tuesday Run Down

Soo tired again. I'm getting a cold. :(
I did manage to get alot done today tho.
~Hot breakfast for the kids. The Strata was even better the second day.
~Laundry
~Shampooed the bedroom carpets. Blech! I say again, carpet is gross!
~Made a double batch of marinara sauce and froze it for next week's meal plan because the fresh basil wasn't going to make it another day and I didn't want it to go to waste.
~Almost done with the current Christmas project. I'm tempted to just stay up and finish it but I'm just too tired. I'll get it done tomorrow.
~Drove kids to and fro all day. Including picking Kenzie up from the soup kitchen downtown where she volunteered this evening. Proud of her. :)
~Dinner- We used most of the rest of the cranberry sauce on our turkey burgers. So that's leftovers - part 5? I think. Dinner was delicious and I'm too full to have a piece of the...
~Pie. I found a mince pie in the freezer and baked it. I thought it was older than it was and almost threw it out. Good thing I opened it first. It's fine. I guess. Like I said, I didn't have any. lol
~Various and assorted care and maintenance of three children.

Why am I blogging the details of my day?
Because this SAHM sometimes loses sight of what she has accomplished in a day when it is so often undone by the next sunrise.
Maybe it'll help that there is a record somewhere. A list.
I do love lists.
Good night.

Monday wrap up...

SOOO tired tonight. I had a hard time getting to sleep last night and then as soon as I did, Jaxon woke up. Aargh!
~Got a lot done on the Christmas present sewing project. I have several projects lined up but I'm getting the two big ones out of the way first. Should be able to finish this one tomorrow.
~Prepared the budget for payday. Had a brief budget meeting with Roger to handle a deficit. Tis the season. :( We're back on track and we'll stay that way if I'm up to my grocery challenge.
~Helped Emily with her math homework. Why does it always seem like the very first time she's ever laid eyes on this work?
~Kenzie and Emily helped me cook dinner. Grandma's enchiladas, last of the leftover corn (leftovers- part 4?) , spanish rice and chips and salsa.
~Now, off to bed. Zzzzzz..................

Apple Blueberry Strata

Success! The strata turned out great! Kenzie, Jaxon and I loved it. Emily (aka Miss Picky Princess) didn't care for it.
I used this bread that's been buried in the bottom of the freezer for... gulp!...a YEAR! LOL

Here's my recipe:
1 (1 pound) loaf of bread. I used the Harvest Apple artisan bread. It's very dense and not sweet at all. Cinnamon bread would work well. Or pretty much any bread I suppose.
4 ounces of cream cheese. I think it would be just fine without cream cheese as well.
1 cup of frozen blueberries
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups half and half
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Butter an 8X8 inch baking pan. (I LOVE my purple Pyrex!)
Cut the bread up into 1 inch cubes.
Line the bottom of the pan with half the bread cubes. I arranged them to fill in the bottom of the pan rather then just tossing them in. I don't know if it matters. This was my first strata. :shrug:
Sprinkle the blueberries evenly over the layer of bread.
Pinch the cream cheese into little pieces and spread evenly over the bread and blueberries.
Cover all this with the remaining bread cubes.
Again: I arranged them into an even layer. I think that if you just tossed them on you'd get some yummy crunchy bits when it's baked. *I* would love that but I guessed that the kids wouldn't.
Whisk together the eggs, half and half, melted butter, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Pour evenly over bread in pan.
Lay a piece of plastic wrap over the strata and gently press to allow all the bread to soak up the egg mixture.
Refrigerate overnight.
Bake 1 hour at 325 degrees.
Let stand before serving.

I served this with some Splenda sweetened whipped cream and a tiny drizzle of pancake syrup.
I only baked it for 45 minutes. I'll increase to one hour next time for it to set up just a bit better.
I'm thinking I'll try it with the fresh peaches from our tree. I froze some this summer.
And I'll try a savory version with sausage and veggies.
Now that I've made a strata I can see that it could be very versatile and a simple way to use up odds and ends.
I hope you'll enjoy it too!